Suspicious Minds
by SFGrl
Summary: Sequel to "The End of Everything"


  
I wasn't sure about contiuing this one, simply because I didn't really like how   
"The End of Everything" turned out. But lots of people asked for a sequel, so here it is.  
I'll continue it only if you want me to. Otherwise I am gonna work on TOW The Make It some more.  
I own no one, and i trust no one, LOL.  
  
Suspicious Minds  
  
Chandler sat on the curb outside of the apartment building, trying desperately to gather his  
thoughts. He wasn't entirely sure what had just happened, but he knew that he couldn't stay  
in that apartment. Rachel's outburst surprised Chandler, though perhaps it shouldn't have.  
He knew that she was quite tempermental, and the idea that Monica questioned her friendship  
had obviously infuriated her. Chandler was more hurt than angry. He was surprised that   
Monica would ever think that he was capable of cheating on her. Surprised wasn't a strong  
enough word--astounded was more like it. The love that he felt for her was unconditional,  
and that love, backed by years of friendship, came with an unspoken trust. He trusted her  
unequivocally, and knew that she would never intentionally hurt him. The mere idea that  
those feelings were not mutual hurt Chandler deeply. He sighed heavily and stood up.  
He should probably find Rachel.  
  
*  
  
Monica was trembling, unable to control the flood of tears that fell down her face and onto her  
blouse. She was lost in a haze, a fog of grief, fear and regret. She recalled the past few weeks,  
and all of the things that had gone through her head. She couldn't believe that she had actually  
thought that Chandler was capable of cheating on her. And that Rachel would ever betray her.  
The idea seemed ludicrous now, but at the time it seemed so logical. She was so blinded by her  
own insecurities and jealousy, that she failed to see the obvious-that Chandler loved her, and  
so did Rachel. How had she managed to destroy her life so completely? Ross approached her, and   
attempted to pull her into a hug.  
  
"No," Monica pulled away stubbornly.  
"Mon," Ross started.  
"I don't deserve to feel better. I am a horrible, horrible person. The pain I feel was   
self-induced. I don't want to feel better."  
"Maybe I do." Ross whined.  
"Why did Rachel slap you?" Phoebe said suddenly. She had been replaying the entire sordid scene   
in her head, trying to find some semblance of sanity in the chaos.  
"It's complicated." Ross said quietly.  
"Are you guys dating again?"   
"Well, I think I can safely say that we are not...anymore."  
"I'm sorry Ross." Monica said.  
"Hey, I am at fault here too. I mean, I didn't even let them explain. I noticed that Rachel was  
spending a lot of time with Chandler too, and when Pheebs and I saw them come out of her bedroom, I  
guess that I just let my feelings get the better of me."  
"We all did," Monica said quietly.  
  
Monica, Pheobe and Ross continued to talk through the incident, hoping to make each other feel   
better. But Joey felt nothing but nautious. He silently stood up and left the apartment,   
hoping to find Rachel or Chandler.  
  
*  
  
Rachel sighed and wiped the freshest tears from her face. She had managed to cry away all of her   
makeup and was now numb from crying so hard. She had never felt so alone in her life.   
She had to fight the urge to go find her friends. They were the people she leaned on when her   
life went sour. Now, they were the reason for her pain, and she had nowhere to go. She heard   
the door to the apartment open and wiped away the last of her tears before turning her head.  
  
"Hi Chandler." She whispered.  
"Hey. Are you okay?" Chandler asked softly.  
"No."  
"Me either," Chandler sighed, pulling Rachel into a hug.  
Rachel resumed her sobbing. She was surprised that she had any tears left to cry. She felt   
Chandler begin to tremble slightly, and she pulled away and looked at him. He too was crying,   
no longer able to hold back his pain. Rachel looked into his eyes. They seemed darker somehow.  
She felt horrible for being so selfish. Of course he was crying. He was devastated.   
Rachel hugged him fiercely, all the while wondering what to do next.  
  
Joey came in 20 minutes later, to find Chandler and Rachel on the sofa, both staring at the   
ceiling absently.  
  
"Hey guys."  
"Hey Joey," Chandler whispered. Both he and Rachel looked exhausted, their eyes swollen and red.  
Joey sat down next to Chandler, and struggled to come up with something to say. He wanted  
his friends to feel better, to put this horrible incident behind them. He knew that it was   
naive, but Joey really believed that it would all be okay. Finally, Joey stood up.  
"You guys wanna go get some coffee?"  
Chandler chuckled. It was such a neutral, innocent question. They had done it hundreds of  
times before. But now it seemed to be such a loaded question. Should they go down to the place  
that they once shared with their friends? A place full of memories, memories of the good times  
that they had all once shared?  
Rachel seemed to be pondering the same question, as she looked over at Chandler. She shrugged.  
"Why not?" Chandler said, and the three of them headed down to Central Perk.  
  
*  
  
Monica was staring blankly out the living room window, hoping that at any moment, she would wake  
up next to Chandler, and her nightmare would be over. Ross and Phoebe were seated on the couch  
behind her, silently wondering just how much damage had been done. Ross knew that Rachel was  
able to hold a grudge, but he wondered about Chandler. Ross was fully aware of how much Chandler  
loved Monica. He smiled, as he recalled a conversation that he and Chandler had had, a few days  
after Ross had found out about them;  
  
~~  
"Can I come in?" Ross was standing at Chandler's door, and for some reason had felt it necissary  
to knock.  
"You don't have to knock, man. You used to live here, remember?"  
Ross laughed slightly. He sat down, nervously wringing his hands.  
"What's up Ross?" Chandler asked, sitting down next to him.  
"I...now I don't want you to take this the wrong way, man...it's just...um..."  
"You still have doubts about my intentions with your sister." Chandler finished his sentence.  
"I'm sorry," Ross said.  
"It's okay Ross, I don't blame you. My history with women is....uh, not good." Chandler laughed.  
He stood up, and ran his hands through his hair. Ross looked at Chandler intently.  
"Look, I never ever thought I would be able to find anyone as great as Monica. And the fact that  
she was one of my best friends just makes it that much more special. Ross, I love your sister.  
I love her more than I have ever loved anyone, and more than I ever thought I could. She makes  
me happy, and I will do everything I can to make her happy. You just have to take my word for it  
when I say that Monica is the love of my life."  
Ross stood up, and placed his hands on Chandler's shoulders.  
"That's all I needed to hear."  
  
~~   
  
"Ross?" Phoebe pulled Ross from his thoughts.   
"Yeah?"  
"What were you thinking about?"  
"Better times," Ross said quietly.  
  
***  
  
Two weeks went by, and Ross, Monica and Pheobe had heard nothing from Chandler, Rachel or Joey.  
Both Chandler and Rachel had booked rooms at a hotel, and Joey rarely left his apartment.  
Monica finally cornered Joey in the hallway, on one of his rare ventures out of his apartment.  
"Joey, please, just tell me that they are okay."  
"Mon, they are not okay. I mean, they are okay, but, they are still really upset, you know?"  
"Yeah," Monica twirled her hair around her fingers nervously. She didn't know what else to say.  
She and Joey stood in the hallway for a few more minutes, but neither knew what to say next.  
They said an awkward goodbye, and fled into their respective apartments.  
  
The next day, Monica was in the bathroom, furiously scrubbing the tile floor. Comet powder  
dotted her face and her ratty blue t-shirt. She used her yellow glove-covered arm to wipe  
strands of sweaty hair from her face. She heard the front door open and close, but continued  
scrubbing.  
"Ross, your sandwich is in the fridge," she called out breathlessly.  
"Monica."  
Monica stopped scrubbing, but couldn't bring herself to turn around. She tried desperatly to  
keep the impending tears from falling down her face. Finally, she dropped her brush and turned  
to face Chandler, though she couldn't look him in the eyes.  
"Hi Chandler," she croaked.  
"We need to talk," Chandler said, his voice emotionless. He turned on his heel and walked to  
the living room.  
Monica stood up, and caught a glance of herself in the bathroom mirror. Oh no. She looked horrid.  
She pulled off her rubber gloves, and tried to fix her hair and wipe her face quickly.  
"Mon?" Chandler called from the living room.  
She sighed and walked out to the living room, and sat down on the coffee table, facing Chandler.  
She finally got up the nerve to look at him. She gasped, then immediately regretted her sudden  
reaction. Chandler looked like he hadn't slept in days. He looked older somehow, and the   
sparkle that normally filled his crystal blue eyes was gone. When she gasped his face fell,   
making her feel even worse. She was sure she looked just as bad, seeing as she hadn't slept  
a full night since Chandler left. But then she found that even when they weren't fighting,  
she couldn't get to sleep unless he was lying next to her.  
"Mon, Joey told me that he ran into you yesterday."  
"Yeah."  
"I don't want things to be weird for everyone. I honestly don't know what Rachel is going to   
do, but at this point, I don't see any chance for me and you. I don't feel like I   
even know you anymore, and that hurts. I've requested a transfer with my company, and today  
they informed me that there is an opening in Seattle, so..."  
"Wait, so that's it? You are just going to leave? You aren't even going to try to work this out?"  
"Work what out, Monica? You gave up on us a long time ago. I don't think I can ever look  
at you, at US, the same way ever again. What we had has been tainted, and the only way for me   
to move on, is to leave New York."  
"I can't believe this. It was a FIGHT Chandler, that's all."  
"A fight? You accused me of sleeping with your best friend! That's not a fight, that's..."  
Chandler stopped suddenly, and ran his hands through his hair. Tears welled up in his eyes.  
"I trusted you, unconditionally, and I was sure that we would spend the rest of our lives   
together. Then, out of nowhere, you start throwing around these wild accusations, and suddenly,  
I don't even know you anymore. I saw a look in your eyes that night Monica. It was hatred.  
You hated me at that moment, and at that moment, my world fell apart. I know in my heart,   
that there is nothing, absolutely nothing that you could ever do to make me hate you. Even now,   
after all of this, I still love you with all that I am. And this is killing me, but I have to   
do it. Because if I don't, I'll go mad." Tears were rolling down Chandler's cheeks, but he  
chose to ignore them. "It's over Monica."  
Monica began weeping uncontrollably, to the point where she began to hiccup.  
"Chandler, stop saying that, it's not over..."  
Chandler shook his head. He knew he couldn't get through this. It broke his heart to see   
Monica so upset. But then he recalled the look on her face the night that she had accused him  
of cheating. His mouth tightened and he stood up and walked into the bedroom that he and  
Monica had once shared. He looked around the room. His stuff was everywhere, there was no way  
he was going to be able to collect it all. He grabbed a bag and grabbed some essentials.  
He picked up a pile of unfolded laundry and threw it into the bag. When he walked back out into  
the living room, Monica was still sitting on the coffee table, weeping softly.  
He began thumbing through the cd collection. There were a few that he knew he wanted.  
He pulled them out, then continued thumbing through. He picked up a couple and looked over at  
Monica.  
"Is this my David Byrne cd?"  
"I guess," Monica whispered, though she hadn't bothered to turn around.  
"What about The Pretenders?"  
"I don't care, Chandler, take whatever you want."  
Chandler shrugged and threw the cd's into the bag. He zipped it up and headed for the door.  
A sudden wave of guilt and sadness swept through him. He just wasn't used to being cruel to  
people. He sighed and turned around. Monica was staring at her feet, silently letting the  
tears fall down onto her lap.  
"Take care of yourself Monica," Chandler said softly.  
Monica looked up, and hiccuped loudly. She stood up and walked over to Chandler.  
"Don't go," she said, as fresh tears formed in her eyes.  
Chandler sighed. He hated this. But he knew that he was doing the right thing. If he were  
to stay, he'd always have doubts about her love for him, and he would end up hurting her, or  
vice-versa. No, this was best for everyone. Chandler leaned down and kissed Monica softly  
on the lips.  
"I will always love you. Never doubt that."  
"I love you too. Chandler, please." Monica begged.  
Chandler swallowed hard and turned around. He had to leave quickly, or he may never leave.  
He walked out of the apartment, and Monica collapsed onto the floor, sobbing once more.  
  
**  
  
Ross opened his apartment door, and was shocked to see Rachel sitting on his sofa.  
"Rach," was all he managed to get out.  
"Hello Ross," Rachel said coldly.  
"What, um, I mean, How, er," Ross stammered. He couldn't think clearly.   
"Ross, we need to talk."  
"Yeah, I was hoping we could."  
"I am still very upset, and truthfully, I don't want to be here, but I think that you should   
know that Chandler is gone."  
Ross sat down on the couch, a look of astonishment on his face.  
"What?"  
"He flew out this morning. He's been transferred to Seattle."  
"Oh. How's Monica?"  
"I don't know Ross, I am not talking to Monica. But maybe you should check on her."  
"Yeah, definitly."  
They sat in uncomfortable silence for a few minutes.  
"So, Rach, was that the only reason you came over?"  
"Yeah," Rachel lied. Truthfully, she missed Ross, and hoped that he would beg her to stay.  
She knew that she was enamoured with him again, and that really annoyed her, because she had  
every right to be pissed off at him. She sighed heavily and stood up to leave.  
"I'd better go," she said softly.  
"Rach, wait," Ross said, standing up suddenly.  
Rachel turned around slowly, and met his gaze.  
"Maybe, uh, maybe we can have dinner sometime?" Ross knew that he might be crossing a line,   
but he didn't care. He had to take a chance. He held his breath, as Rachel pondered his   
suggestion.  
"Maybe. We'll see." She smiled and walked out of his apartment.  
Maybe! She said maybe! It wasn't yes, but then, it wasn't a no either! Ross was eccstatic.  
He began jumping up and down, and decided to go find Monica.  
  
*  
  
"Monica?" Ross called out as he entered his sister's apartment.  
Monica opened her bedroom door, and walked out to greet Ross. She was a wreck. Her eyes  
were puffy and red, and her hair was matted from neglect. She wore sweat pants and one of  
Chandler's shirts. It was then that it hit Ross. Rachel said that Chandler had left.  
It finally sunk in.  
"Monica, are you okay?"  
"No."  
"What did he say?"  
"That he couldn't trust me anymore. That he loved me with all his heart, but he just   
couldn't stay," Monica began crying again, and Ross reached out to hug her.  
"I'm so sorry Mon."  
"How did you find out?" Monica asked between sobs.  
"Rachel told me."  
Monica pulled away from her brother.  
"She's...she's talking to you?"  
"Kinda. She said maybe when I asked her to dinner." Ross couldn't help but to grin.  
"Oh, Ross, that's great."  
"Maybe we can all get together and figure out how to get Chandler back."  
"Yeah," Monica said, "Maybe."  
  
*****  
  
Want to know what happens next? let me know what you think! 


End file.
